Multiple suction cup



Oct 7, 1959 P. H. LINDENBERGER 2,910,254

' MULHPLE SUCTION CUP Filed Aug. 17, 1956 7 4/ /////////l y 7 ///y//A \o 5 Fus. 4,

/ PAUL H. LINDENBERGER MULTIPLE SUCTION CUP Paul H. Lindenberger, Miami, Fla.

Application August 17, 1956, Serial No. 604,807

4 Claims. (Cl. 248- 362) This invention relates to suction cup devices whereby to securely support an article with respect to a flat surface.

The invention contemplates a suction cup having a central web portion and a plurality of oppositely extending and concentric suction cups whereby to provide for a considerably greater suction engagement between a supporting surface and an article to be held against accidental movement.

The invention further contemplates the suction cup device having oppositely directed multiple and concentric flanges and with the flanges being so dimensioned that the device when fully compressed into engagement, will initially dispose its several flanges flat and in the same plane after which an equilibrium is established as the cups tend to assume their original angularity and whereby to obtain the maximum suction over the entire area of the cup.

The invention further contemplates a suction cup having a central web portion that is vented to communicate with the upper and lower suction cups and whereby to facilitate a disengagement of the cup from a supporting surface or from an article being supported and whereby the suction may be relieved in both the upper and lower suction cups when either of the flanges are vented by the insertion of a knife blade or the like therebetween.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated the preferred forms of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan View of a suction cup constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is an edge view thereof,

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken 'on line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but illustrating the suction cup in an initially compressed position prior to the release of the article to be supported and,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse section illustrating a slightly modified form of the device.

In the drawings, the suction cup is indicated as a whole by the numeral 5 and embodies inner and outer and oppositely extending suction cups 6 and 7, defined by angular flanges 8 and 9. The flanges 8 and 9 are formed integral with a web portion 10. As clemly shown, the cups 6 and 7 are concentric to each other and with the cups 6 projecting slightly above and below the cup 7. The device is preferably formed of suitable flexible material such as rubber and that will easily flex and have a suction binding engagement with any suitable flat surface, such as a table top or the underside of a dish or the like.

As clearly shown in Figure 4, it is essential for a maximum suction engagement, that the several flanges when Patented Oct. 27, 1959 in fully compressed position shall have their upper and lower faces initially flat and in the same planes. To accomplish this, the flanges 9 are made relatively thicker than the flanges 8 and the joint thicknesses of the flanges 9 when in fully compressed position equals the thickness of the flanges 8 and the web 10, clearly shown in Figure 4. This permits of a dish or the like indicated in dotted lines of Figure 4, to have a suction engagement over a relatively wide area for a'maxirnum support with respect to a table top or the like indicated at 11. A central vent opening 12 is provided through the apex of the cups 6 while a vent opening 13 is formed in the web 10 adjacent the flanges 9. Thus, with the cups in the fully compressed position of Figure-4, by merely slipping the blade of a table knife under the lower flange 9, the suction may be broken through the vent opening 13., A continued movement of the knife blade also breaks the suction between the lower flange 8 thereby venting and relieving the suction with respect to the dish or other article through the vent opening 12.

Figure 5 illustrates a slightly modified form of the invention wherein a web 14 is provided with suction cups 15, 16 and 17, all formed concentric. The suction cups 15 and 16 correspond in dimensions generally to the suction cup 6, while the suction cup 17 corresponds generally to the suction cup 7 and primarily as to the thickness of the flanges. The structure of Figure 5, when fully compressed will dispose the several flanges in parallel relation and in the same planes. The device of Figure 5 is centrally vented as at 18, while the web 14 is -vented at 19 and 20 whereby to control the actions of the several'cups and to facilitate their release when a supported article is to be disengaged. V

In the use of the device, an article to be supported such as a dish, commonly used by children is placedpressive action on cup 6 and then as the plate is forced downwardly, the cup 7 is compressed and a continued downward movement causes the cups to be flattened out as illustrated in Figure 4, imparting a wide bearing engagement with both the table top and the article to be supported, thus greatly adding to the suction-ability of the device to prevent movement of the dish or other article accidentally. It will be apparent, that when the compressing force is removed, the walls of the cups 6 and 7, due to a resilient force, will tend to return to their original shape until a condition of equilibrium exists between the resilient force and atmospheric pressure, such position being somewhere between the decompressed and the fully compressed positions. As before stated, when the dish is to be removed, the knife blade or similar article is engaged beneath the lower flanges 7 and 8, and with the suction relieved in the lower cups 6 and 7, such relief of suction will be imparted to the upper cups 6 and 7 through the vent openings 12 and 13. The device thus creates an exceptionally strong suction action capable of holding articles to a degree not possible with any known suction cup devices, where a maximum suction is to be created, it is essential that the several flanges forming the cups shall be capable of an initial flat engagement with a supporting surface and an article to be supported after which the device expands to the point where equilibrium is established leaving a major area of the flanges coplanar to the supporting surface and the dish. The mere contacting engagement of the edges of the cups are not suflicient to obtain this maximum suction and the suction is only as great as the contacting area of the cups.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that an extremely simple and highly efiective cup device has been provided. The multiple concentric cups facing in opposite directions and the construction of the flanges 8 and 9 whereby the fully compressed cup; initially presents the major area of the flanges in engagement with a supporting surface and an article to be supported is believed to be novel. The device may be molded in an economical manner and provides the suction device having a wide range of use. The device is strong, durable and most effective for securely supporting any article having a flat surface with respect to a supporting structure such as glass, a polished table top or other smooth surface whereby the flanges of the cups may have a binding engagement therewith.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A suction cup holding device that comprises a web portion and a plurality of suction cups that extend from its opposite faces, the several suction cups being concentrio and spaced from each other, vent openings formed in the web and with the openings communicating with the oppositely disposed cups, each of the cups comprising angled flanges, the flanges of the outermost cups having a thickness jointly corresponding to the overall thickness of the flanges of the inner cup and the web and whereby the holding device when initially flattened out in fully compressed position disposes the contacting surfaces of the several flanges coplanar as to a supporting surface and an article to be supported.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein the flanges of the outer cup are radially and angularly disposed in opposite directions from the circumferential portion of the web,

the last named flanges being relatively thicker than the flanges of the inner cup.

3. The device according tov claim 1, wherein the several flanges and the Web are integral and formed of a resilient material, the marginal edges of the several flanges being rounded.

'4. A suction cup device whereby to support an article with respect to a flat supporting surface and with the article to be supported also having a flat face, comprising a flat web portion of circular form, centrally arranged and oppositely extending suction cups projecting from the web, the marginal portion of the web being provided with upwardly and outwardly angled circumferential flanges and downwardly and outwardly angled flanges whereby to form oppositely facing suction cups that are concentric to the first named cups, the several cups and the web integrally molded of rubber, vent openings formed in the web for each of the cups, the flanges constituting the outer cups being relatively thicker than the flanges constituting the first named cups, the suction device when initially fully compressed serving to dispose the outer flanges in parallel contacting relation and the flanges of the inner cup in parallel contacting relation to the web and with all of the flanges of the upper cups being co planar and all of the flanges of the lower cups coplanar, the several flanges having a bearing suction engagement with a supporting surface and a surface of the article to be supported for the major width of the flanges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,391,861 Smith Sept. 27, 1921 2,127,181 Mattern Aug. 16, 1938 2,227,541 Grofi Ian. 7, 1941 2,385,977 Farmer Oct. 2, 1945 2,466,502 Stiller Apr. 5, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 71,950 Denmark Jan. 2, 1951 

